Man.Machine.Industry – Lean Back, Relax and Watch the World Burn
Released: April 16th, 2012
Label: GMR Music
It was exactly a year ago that we wrote our first review for this site. That review was the Man.Machine.Industry album “White Trash Devil in a Jesus Christ Pose“. It’s fitting that a year later (to the day) we are reviewing their latest album “Lean Back, Relax and Watch the World Burn“.
“Lean Back, Relax and Watch the World Burn” is a theme album about one of my favorite topics, the end of the world and inspired by the film Aftermath:Population Zero. I would like to say this album is thirteen tracks of mind numbing industrial blitz, but I can’t. Because it’s not. It is much, much more than that. “White Trash Devil in a Jesus Christ Pose” found M.M.I chugging and pounding their way through some industrial mayhem with a similar sound as bands like Static-X. It’s a great album. With “Lean Back, Relax and Watch the World Burn” however, it seems MMI put some more thought and effort into their creation. With “Lean Back, Relax…” it feels like they are finding their own sound.
Tracks like “Time” and “War God” are faster paced Industrial tracks with chugging guitars, pounding drums and harsh vocals. However, there’s a bit more melody and balance brought to these songs than on the previous albums. On top of the industrial thrashing, they mix in some electronic background noises and rhythms for a nice touch.
The song “Lean Back, Relax and Watch the World Burn” is a fairly atmospheric industrial tune. It mixes chugging guitars riffs and catchy drum rhythms with some more orchestral, ambient backing sounds.
As with their previous album, there is a cover song included in the mix. This time around it’s a cover of the Killing Joke song “Eighties“. While not my favorite Killing Joke song, MMI does an excellent job adding their own sound and heaviness to the track.
The big difference I feel “Lean Back, Relax and Watch the World Burn” has going for it is more/better rhythms and melody than they’ve done previously. This is especially found in songs like “What You See Is What You Get“, “Let Go” and “Vivite Et Sinite Mori (Live & Let Die)“. Bergman does an excellent job on all the tracks switching between a harsh growl and a softer, more melodic tone. The drums and guitars are also not just beating you up all the time. They give you a breather here and there, but then pull you right back in for some more thrashing.
“Lean Back, Relax and Watch the World Burn” is an excellent album. Man.Machine.Industry is definitely on a good path of finding their own sound and standing out in the industrial madness. I hope they keep heading in the direction they’ve started with “Lean Back, Relax and Watch the World Burn“.
Website: http://manmachineindustry.blogspot.com/
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